


and if you're watching up above, they're teaching me to kill (who's teaching me to love?)

by gottabewhattomarrowneeds



Series: i’ll give you all the nails you need [1]
Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Album), The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Comic)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canonical Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Nonbinary Party Poison, Other, Temporary Character Death, The others are there of course but it focuses on these two, Underage Drinking, as far as i can tell. i may have changed a little bit but should stil leork, but they do end up staying dead, hell yeah, it’s a romance but like. Oof., korse is a little bitch., party takes ‘killjoys never die’ to a new extreme, semi slow burn but it’s all vaguely ambiguous anyway, the Witch is a tsundere lmao, the main character death I feel like should be obvious but..., the witch is such a softie but refuses to admit it, then by dying and shamelessly flirting with Her in the afterlife, theres better ways to get the girl
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-05-12 05:23:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19222471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gottabewhattomarrowneeds/pseuds/gottabewhattomarrowneeds
Summary: All the times Party Poison died but managed to bargain their way out of staying dead, the one time they don’t, and all the time in between.





	and if you're watching up above, they're teaching me to kill (who's teaching me to love?)

**Author's Note:**

> “the average killjoy dies three times in their life" factoid actually is just a statistical error. the average killjoy dies only once in their lifetime. Party Poison, who has died nine times in their life, is an outlier and should not have been counted.

The first time they met, or at least, the first time Party would remember, was before their name was Party Poison, before their hair was as red as the nosebleed that inspired them to dye it, before they were any inch of the man they would become. 

Instead, they were a gangly fifteen year old with blood splattering their hands, and dust and grime from the desert covering them in a layer of second skin. Their skin was burnt, red like the stains on their hands, red like the rage that made their blood boil, that made them breach the city.

They had just left the city, a few months after their brother. 

She did not have a mask to use, so She plucked their soul from their body and brought them straight to the temporal plane. They struggled, trying to claw their way back to their body. She smiled.

They appeared in front of her, a blank expression on their face as they glanced around with glazed eyes. Their eyes looked nearly as dead as they were, and it was almost hard to imagine the person that they would become, the person that would forge a destiny She had a hard time finishing.

“It’s nice to see you,” She greeted. “Although this isn’t exactly the best of circumstances.”

“What are you?” They asked, squinting. 

“The Phoenix Witch. Where you’re going, I’m sure you’ll hear much more about me. Either case, my job is to lead you into the afterlife, to guide your soul.”

They frowned. “I’m dead?”

“Yes.” She smiled, although they couldn’t see it. “But you don’t have to stay that way.”

“No?”

“No. In fact, all you have to do is give me something equal in worth to your soul.”

Their expression faltered, and they glanced at their body. They were dolled up in a black exterminator uniform, reminding Her of the spirits that performed in the Black Parade. They looked as grim as them.

They sighed. “I don’t have anything to offer. All of my stuff’s at home, and none of it’s worth my soul.”

“No?” She couldn’t let them die, even if they didn’t have something. But She knows they do. “Thank harder. What’s your most prized possession?”

They stared at the ground, thinking. They were quiet, reserved, and it rather disappointed Her. Of course, they could not become who they are supposed to be over night. They must be forged into the being She would come to admire. They must have experience.

“My boots.” They bent down and began to untie them. 

“How are they important to you?”

“My brother gave them to me for my promotion, before he disappeared.” They took their left one off and started on their right. “They’re the only thing I really own anymore. This suit isn’t mine. My home isn’t mine. They could ransack me for all I’m worth, but these boots? They’re mine.”

She grinned and held out Her hand. Gently, they placed them in Her palm, and looked almost crestfallen at losing them. She didn’t have to second guess their worth given just their expression.

“You’re toll has been paid, my friend.” She refuses to call them by their name, because that was the City Party Poison. That was not them, but they were not Party Poison either.

Their soul flickered, and then they said, “Will I see more of you?”

She knew the answer to that, but of course, She could not tell them. “I hope not.”

She lied. 

-

Party Poison woke up to the feeling of being shaken. A face hovered over their's, a blue helmet obstructing any features. They blinked rapidly, trying to process all that had happened.

"Hey baby doll," the figure greeted. "My name's Show Pony. What happened?"

Show Pony pulled them off the ground, and they leaned against them for support. They were weak from dehydration and possible heatstroke. They hadn't been able to pack any water before they breached, since it really hadn't been planned.

Something black caught their eye. A feather drifted from their chest toward the ground, and gingerly, they caught it.

They glanced up just in time to see a crow take off, it's body gracefully dancing in the air. 

-

Each time a bargain is made, She sets a crow feather on their body before guiding their soul back to them. It was to remind them of the deal and to prove that She had gone through with it. In the days before the war, it would likely be compared to a receipt.

She wasn’t sure when She began the tradition, but it had become apart of Her rituals. She wasn’t certain how many people noticed the feather, but it did not matter. She would give them a piece of Herself as She gave their soul back.

-

The second time they met, it was still much too early in the grand scheme of things. It would be years before The End, and months before they would meet their two additions to their duo. Party Poison had reunited with Kobra Kid, had coined their moniker after a bad bar fight, but they had yet to become the leader of the Fab Four.

They had been in a nasty raid that went Costa Rica. Apparently, one of the men they had agreed to work with snitched to BLi about the entire operation, and so when they went to hit the warehouse, Dracs had been waiting for them. Really, they hadn't stood a chance.

They'd been shot right in the heart, an instant kill. She was glad it had not been more gruesome; those were much messier to fix, and much harder for people to write off. She did not like making a show out of Her powers.

And of course, She did not want to see them in more pain than they had to be.

Gently, She picked up their mask from their corpse, watching as their brother screamed. Kobra had seen them fall to the ground, and was desperately trying to make his way towards them in the ruckus.

They had painted a small domino mask. She turned it over and over, already knowing that She would be seeing it often in Her future. It was small enough to expose their face just so their victims could look them in the eyes, could watch their lips form the last words they would ever hear.

Their soul flickered into view, and it took a few moments for them to stabilize. They were trying to go back to their body, struggling against Her hold.

They glanced up just as She began to move toward them. Her feathers drifted despite the lack of wind, catching their eye as they craned their neck to look at Her.

"So I didn't hallucinate you," they said casually, opening the conversation with that stellar line.

She peered at them, analyzing every inch. They didn't have their blood red hair yet; the fight that would ignite their inspiration to have their hair as red as a nosebleed, as bright as the fires that had crackled around them as they set fire to a warehouse had yet to come. Instead, it was dyed a dandelion yellow, a bit brighter than their brother's bleached out locks.

They were taller, more gaunt, more tan, a bit more confident. They carried themselves with an air of pride, though not quite the arrogance She would become accustomed to. They still had a long way to go, really, before they would become who they were meant to be.

"No, I am quite real," She answered. 

They paused, thinking. "I guess I died again then, huh?"

"Unfortunately. But you remember how to remedy that, don't you?"

They hummed absently. "An item equal to my soul. That's what I gotta give you, to get back to the living, yeah?"

"Yes."

They tapped their chin, clearly trying to think of something to offer. They glanced down, looking to see what they had on them, and as they searched through their pockets, they asked, "You're called the Phoenix Witch, right?"

"Yes, I am."

“Milkshake. Do you always let people off the hook like this, or do you do it just for me?"

She suppressed a slight grin. "Everyone is given the chance to pay the toll, but not all can, or want to. Some are content with being dead."

"How could anyone be content with dying?' They fiddled with their jacket pocket. "Just giving up?"

"Eventually, a person has to rest. The end happens to everyone, and bargaining only stalls it. It's not really giving up. It's recognizing that there's nothing more for you to do. It's allowing others to take your place."

They mulled over Her words, and She watched as they pulled something out of their jacket pocket. She did not like to think about The End for them and their crew- it was too far into the future, a thing She did not truly want to come into fruition. Often, She planted seeds to only grow to regret them, but sometimes destiny was beyond Her control. "I promise, you'll understand."

They twirled a tube in their fingers. "Hopefully not anytime soon. Unless you'll miss me too much to let me go for long."

"What are you willing to trade?"

"This." They stuck out their hand, and in the center was a tube of red lipstick. "I met this guy named Show Pony, and they gave this to me, free of charge. It was the first act of genuine kindness I'd been given out here, ya know? Before I got to see my brother again, Show Pony was my only friend."

"I see."

"Kind of sucks to give this away. Hope they won't be too mad!" They laughed, and they pressed it into Her outstretched palm.

"Oh, I wouldn't give them any mind." Show Pony would certainly understand. She'd met them once before, years ago. They knew of the bartering system, and even if they could not recollect the time they shared with Her, they worked for Dr. Death Defying. The radio shack had plenty of calls about the Phoenix Witch sparing people in exchange for a pair of gloves or such.

"Your toll has been paid," She announced, sliding the lipstick into Her pocket. Party watched Her with a titled head as She gave the mask back to them. Their soul flickered for a few moments, staring at the mask in their hand, before finally fizzing out.

She sighed, knowing that would not be the last She'd hear from them.

-

Party woke up a few moments later, jolting upright. Kobra Kid was sprinting to their side, his expression clearly one of fear and anxiety. They grabbed their blaster, swiping it off the floor where it had been knocked out of their hands from the moments leading up to them getting shot, and sent a few shots at the crowd of white.

"Are you alright?" Kobra asked, squinting. 

"Never better," they cheered. They took Kobra's hand and stood back up, only to notice something fall off their chest. It was a black feather, shimmering with the bright lights of the warehouse.

"What's that?"

“Probably nothing."

They grinned and pocketed the feather.

-

The third time they met, She felt almost bad for them.

They had met Fun Ghoul by now, after he had attempted to mug Party Poison at a local rave. After chasing the boy down, and nearly killing each other, they managed to become friends. Jet Star followed soon after, as Dr. D introduced him into the group after his old crew had gotten dusted.

She felt guilt for that incident, too. It always hurt to see an entire crew get ghosted, and collecting their souls all at once was rather difficult. Thankfully, their bodies had been destroyed, so they would not be turned into Dracs. While Jet Star may not have peace, at last his crewmates would.

In any case, much more time had passed. Party Poison had become considerably more careful since their last run in with Her, likely because they'd finally met Korse. They'd met the man before all this, however- before they had left Battery City, before becoming Party Poison. Korse had been their superior officer, when they had worked for BLi as an exterminator.

Seeing the man as their enemy, however, was much different than Before. Now, the man was relentlessly hunting them down, hoping to kill them himself. It was rather unnerving, having your old boss put a target on your back and try to shoot you like a dog.

There had been a major raid in Zone Three. A neutral town had been hit by a swarm of Dracs. An escaped fugitive had been hiding out there, and BLi was determined to get to him, no matter the cost. Destroying an entire village meant nothing so long as they reclaimed the poor bastard who managed to escape.

Of course, the Fab Four, who had just recently dubbed themselves that at Jet Star's proposal, wanted to get tangled up in the firefight. Under Dr. D's supervision, the quartet began to participate in much larger raids, trying to earn some spotlight. They wanted to send a message; they wanted to get under BLi's skin as much as they could, and the best way to do that was by fucking with any raids they tried to engage in.

A fire was set during the gunfire, likely from a poorly placed blaster shot. It sparked some of the explosives being housed in a small storage unit, and it quickly spread across the entire town. Evacuations took place as the fight continued on. Jet Star and Party Poison lead the evacuation while Kobra Kid and Fun Ghoul covered them, continuing the battle.

During one of the evacuations, as Party was leading a family out of their burning house, a Drac has spotted them. The Drac shot at just the right place, hitting the house in the least structurally sound part, causing the column to crumble and the roof to cave in.

She winced at the sound of the chunks of wood crushing the kid, moving from Her perch on a lamppost into action. Messy deaths like these would always leave an ache, no matter if they went on into the after life or if they were able to bargain their way back into the land of the living.

She snagged their mask from their body, and wiped away the baby flames that crawled across the surface. It always hurt Her to see a mask get damaged.

They flickered almost immediately into the temporal plane. Their mask and their body had been extensively damaged. Their anchors were weak, and try as they might, they could not fight against the damage.

"Ouch," they muttered. "Gotta say, out of all the ways I've died so far, this has gotta be my least favourite."

She refrained from rubbing Her forehead. She did not experience headaches, but She was certain this was the closest She's ever been to having one. "I suppose you know the drill by now, Party Poison."

They grinned. "I gotta give you something that's worth my soul! Well, I'm prepared this time!"

She watched as they began to take off the belt they were wearing. They had changed quite a bit since the last time they had met. Their hair was just the right nosebleed shade of red, they had found the blue Dead Pegasus jacket, and the arrogance they were expected to gain had bloomed. They were exactly as She knew they would become, and it almost saddened Her. The End was nearing.

"Here!" They handed the belt towards Her. It was obnoxiously red and had a rose buckle. From the way their pants sagged, it was apparent they rather needed it. They had become quite thin from being on the constant verge of starving to death. "Fun Ghoul gave this to me, not long after he tried to mug me. But it all worked out. He gave me that as a peacekeeping, to join Kobra and me. He didn't have to, and I felt kinda bad cause like, I felt like I owed him something back, and I don't like being in debt, so I gave him my prayer beads."

She remembered. She had been near them at the time, since they had decided to trade gifts near the marketplace. A poor girl had gotten killed in a trade disagreement, and while She delivered her soul, She had watched their little trade off.

She took it out of their hand and glanced at it. It really did mean a lot to them, apparently. Often times, people in the desert don't apologize for their past transgressions, considering they all carried a devil may care attitude. It didn't shock Her that this gift would really stick with them.

"This will do," She finally stated, and She placed their mask back into their hands. She had managed to restore parts that had been burnt off. "Please, refrain from coming back so soon."

"Aw, I know you're gonna miss me!" They laughed as they began to fade away. "Maybe I'll go blow myself up with Ghoul later so I can chat with you again."

They faded out completely, and She smiled at the belt She held.

-

They awoke to being dragged, and gasped, sucking in as much air as they could, choking on ashes that drifted into their mouth.

“Holy shit,” a voice called. There was a face in their view, bare inches away from their’s. “What the fuck.”

“Hey,” they croaked. They could feel the ashes swirling in their lungs, clogging their ability to breathe. 

“What the fuck.” Fun Ghoul was staring dead into their eyes, looking completely bewildered. “Dude. You were fucking dead. I felt your pulse and heartbeat and shit. What the hell?”

“I’m a bad bitch,” they coughed out. A feather fluttered off their chest, and they caught it, scraping the ground in search of the ebony feather. “Ain’t nobody gonna take my life.”

Ghoul stared at them, and then smiled. “Yeah, yeah. Kobra Kid’s gonna lose his shit once he realises you’re alright. I’ve been dragging your ass to the van, so we could give you a proper killjoy funeral, but I guess that’s out of the picture. The firefight’s over. Everyone escaped, and we killed all the Dracs. You did good.”

They smiled, and pressed the feather near their heart.

-

Dr. Death Defying pulled them aside one day, not long after their third death, his eyes holding a strange gleam and his mouth set in a thin line. He wasn’t frowning, which was a good sign, but the strangely serious nature to his expression set Party on edge.

“What’s up Doc?” They asked, leaning against the wall and trying to remain as casual as they could.

“You’ve met Her, haven’t you?” 

“Not sure what you’re talking about?” They did.

“The Phoenix Witch.”

They shifted their weight, balancing it on one foot and then the other, debating on whether they should stall or dive headfirst into a lie. The doc would see right through them, though, so neither option was really applicable. They sighed. “Yes, I have.”

“This wasn’t the first time, was it?”

“No.” 

He shook his head. “Of course not. You have to be careful with Her, Party. If you keep dying at the rate you are, eventually you’ll run out of things to bargain with. Eventually, Her toll will become too high. You can’t just throw away your life because you think you’ll get it back with the right boots.”

“She’s not evil or anything,” Party refuted, straightening their back. “She cares about us, She cares about me. She doesn’t mind me bargaining as long as it’s something equal to my soul.”

“I had a friend, once,” he suddenly began. He gave a name, a very clear City Name, and cocked his head. “Do you know of him?”

That caught them off guard. “I- no?”

“Course. He died before long before you had breached the city.” He took a deep breath and leaned forward. “The man’s wife died just before the Helium wars. She wasn’t able to trade anything to the Witch, so she remained in the afterlife. Her husband was so distraught that he took a deal with the Witch, promising to kill a thousand evil men. He did so, and the last life he took was his own, as over time he became so corrupted from the amount of killing he did.”

Party frowned. They weren’t sure where he was going with this. “I don’t understand.”

“What I’m trying to say is that while the tolls may be low now, it might not last. The Phoenix Witch is a deity that while not malicious, is far removed from humanity. She is not to be trifled with.”

“I’m not... it’s not a joke. I’m not treating Her as a joke. I respect Her a lot, actually. And She doesn’t seem to really mind me. In fact, I think She enjoys my company.” They shoved their hands in their pockets. “I trust Her with my soul, and I trust that She won’t try to fuck me over.”

Dr. Death Defying scrutinised them. “I see. Just be careful. You are playing with a candle burning on both ends.”

-

The fourth and fifth time happened one after the other.

Months had passed. The Route Guano disaster occurred, much to the displeasure of the entirety of the Fab Four. She had nearly met Jet Star and Kobra Kid that day, but luckily for them, they managed to sneak away from the intensive firefight. Unfortunately, they were injured, and had gotten lost, leading them to go missing for over two weeks and assumed dead.

That had been the only time Party Poison had questioned Her, and the only time Fun Ghoul had ever prayed to Her.

The Girl has not joined them quite yet, though she will soon after this event.

Party Poison’s reputation was beginning to grow amongst the entirety of the zones. The Fab Four were gaining a huge infamy, and as such, became even larger targets for BLi. The teens took it all in stride, happy to become heroes to fellow killjoys. Slowly but surely, they were all becoming the leaders of the rebellion.

In any case, they had been found by Korse and a squadron of Dracs. A wavehead had snitched on them, telling BLi that the Fab Four would be heading toward Zone Four to help out some newly breached city dwellers. They told exactly what route they’d be taking and what day they’d come.

And of course, BLi had set an ambush.

A few Dracs had chased them while they were on their way and the Fab Four tried to shake them off their tail by hiding out in an abandoned farmhouse. Unfortunately, that’s exactly where the Dracs were trying to push them towards, as Korse and a new squadron were waiting to ambush them there.

It quickly turned into an all out brawl.

They were surrounded on all sides and eventually had to split up. Party Poison had been doing pretty great on their own, taking down Dracs with practiced ease and dodging laser fire like they’ve done it their whole life. They danced and danced throughout the firefight, breezily taking down those in their path.

When Korse was added to the mix, however, everything changed.

Korse had been lurking in the shadows for a while, ever since the initial confrontation. Once Party Poison showed signs of tiring, he swooped in, and they began to fight.

Blasts after blasts became exchanged until a Drac caught Party Poison off guard, shooting them in the leg. Korse grinned, shooting Party in the shoulder before grabbing them before they could recover. He jammed his gun against Party’s head, right between their eyes, and leaned in to their ear, his voice a soft whisper.

The sounds of Kobra’s screaming drowned out whatever he had said, and nearly drowned out the sound of the gun being fired. Electricity crackled, smoke pouring from the wound, blood gushing as Party fell to the ground, and She frowned.

She swooped down from the top of the cactus She had settled Herself on to watch, gently picking up their mask. It was scorched from the blast, and She cleaned the surface as best She could, watching as the owner flickered into Her temporal plane yet again.

“Hey,” they greeted breezily. “How’s it been?”

She rolled Her eyes, and while Her mask covered the action, Party still likely felt it. “If you would stop dying, it could be better.”

“And miss out on seeing your lovely face?” They shot Her a wink. “Darling, I’d never! Unfortunately, I’m going to have to take a rain check for our date.”

“I presume you’d like to go back to the land of the living?”

“Korse is calling.” They shrugged, a flirtatious, coy smile splitting their lips. “He’s like a clingy ex, but a lot more homicidal. In any case, I’m afraid I must go back and answer his homicidal booty call.”

“What will you bargain with?”

They twisted their face into one of mock concentration. “Hm, I think I have just the thing.” They began pulling off their leather gloves, brown and cracked with time. “Cherri Cola gave me these for when he had gotten really sick, ‘cause I got the medicine to cure him. Had to trade away a few comics to get it, and I guess Cherri felt bad about that, so he gave me these in return.” They looked thoughtful as they handed it out to Her. “He wanted to give me more, ‘cause I saved his life, but really, the bragging right is enough.”

She picked them up, feeling the rough texture. They had clearly been through some abuse, but had stood the test of time. Clearly, they did mean quite a lot to Party Poison. She knew it reminded them of human fragility, that being dusted by Dracs, while likely, might not be the only way to die in the desert. 

“These will pay for your toll,” She said, and wiped the last remaining bits of ash off their mask before giving it back to them. “You are free to leave.”

“See you soon, baby!” They faded out before She could protest with the pet name. Really, they had become much too familiar with Her.

-

“Hey! Motherfucker! Egghead shitface! I’m talking to you!”

Party Poison was yelling at the top of their lungs, sitting straight up as soon as they woke up. A crow feather tumbled off their chest as they waved their arms, trying to draw Korse’s attention.

Korse had begun to walk away, the entire fight going nearly silent. He spun on his heels, dramatically whirling around to face a definitely alive Party Poison.

Korse drew up his gun, prepared to pull the trigger again, when Party said, “Wait! Wait!”

“What?”

“Bitch.”

Korse shot them again.

-

She stared at them with intense disapproval, heaving a deep sigh as She held their mask yet again. They just gave Her a cheeky grin, winking. “Hey, baby doll. I’m back. Did you miss me?”

“Not in the slightest.” She could feel an actual migraine come on. Of course it would be Party Poison that would give Her one. “Please just give me your toll.”

They pouted. “Oh, come on. It was totally worth it. Did you see the look on his face? Absolutely priceless! I come back from the dead just to call him a bitch!” They cracked up, giggling. “Come on, that’s fucking hilarious!”

“Aren’t you tired of giving away all your things?” She was both genuinely curious and exasperated at how they did not seem to give a shit about dying. Was She loosing Her touch, scaring others? Was She no longer an intimidating force to be reckoned with in the desert?

“Well, I mean, it’s a small price to pay, really.” They put a finger to their chin. “Like, these things do mean a lot to me, but I know you’ll take good care of them.”

She has been. “I see.”

They slipped off a couple of gold bracelets from their wrist. They were chipped and dull from lack of proper care, and while they were a set of bangles, they appeared to be missing a few. “Anyway, here’s your toll. Kobra Kid gave these to me, after the Route Guano fiasco. Supposed to remind me of how he’ll always be on my side.”

Gently, they placed them in the palm of Her hand. “Of course, I know he will. Even if he gets dusted and I don’t, I know he’ll still be there with me. His ghost ass will be judging my every move, but he’ll be there. And I’m here for him too.”

She felt them in Her hand, feeling the weight of their worth. They certainly made the cut, and She slowly handed their mask back to them. They grinned at Her, not flirty nor coy, but genuine. It was rather... an appealing look on them.

“I miss you already, sunshine,” they called as they flickered away.

She glanced at the bangles in Her hands, and tenderly placed them on Her wrist. They clacked, jingling as She folded Her arms, staring out into the never ending whiteness.

“Sunshine, my ass.”

-

It would be a few hours later when Party Poison would wake up again. The Witch has not been fond of their act, and as such, decided to not let them come back until after the firefight had died down.

They awoke in the back of their van, their head lollying on Jet Star’s lap. They pushed themselves up, and Jet Star was immediately alert. He pushed them back down, carefully, like he was touching glass. The gentleness of his touch gave his next words a comedic effect, considering they were not spoken with that same softness.

“Bastard,” he chastised. “What the hell happened out there?”

They sneaked the feather on their chest into their pocket. They’ve always cheerfully told the tales of their meetings with the Phoenix Witch, and yet something changed inside of them. Their meetings suddenly became much more personal. “Well, Korse shot me, and I guess he didn’t hit me quite right, because I woke back up, and I called him a bitch, and then he shot me again.”

There was a snort from the front. Fun Ghoul was driving, and their eyes meet in the mirror. Jet Star sent a small glare to Ghoul, who immediately protested, “Hey! I’m not condoning anything here! It’s just, you gotta admit, that’s fucking funny.”

“Ha!” Party cheered. At least someone appreciated the joke they had died for.

“Jesus Christ, you gave us a heart attack,” Kobra muttered. He was sitting on the back as well, looking both relieved and full of an intense rage. Party’s joy was quickly turned into guilt at worrying their brother.

“I guess Korse had his gun set on stun?” Jet wondered. “That’s the only explanation I can think of as to how the hell you're still breathing.”

“Guess so.”

They glanced out the window, and saw a crow taking off. They smiled.

-

The sixth time they died, they did not die alone. That fact made Her job much harder than it had to be, because of course, they managed to pull Show Pony down with them.

It was not too long after the encounter with Korse, meaning the End was nearing. It was disheartening to know their Fate, to have written the lines of their destiny with Her ink dipped crow feather, delicate strokes designing and sketching and dictating what was to Be. It twisted what would have been Her heart, had She had one, to understand that She was the cause of their eventual calamity…

But there was still time, enough for the Fab Four to gain even more popularity. Despite working as a team, on occasion, Dr. D would send them on solo missions in order to handle situations. Thanks to their (in)famous status amongst the desert dwellers, they would often act as peacemakers between gang territory squabbles. The people would listen to them, and mediating disagreements was a rather rare occurrence thanks to the unity the Fab Four were preaching. 

It would be hard to go after BLi when they weren’t united as one. They needed to convince as many people as they can that the enemy isn’t their peers, but the corporation that drove them to the desert. For the most part, it worked- people became more friendly to each other, the every man for themselves attitude was slowly dying.

Some rivalries, however, still refused to die down.

There was a skirmish threatening to break out between two large rival gangs, the Ritalin Rats and the Neon Angels. The two gangs were notorious for their bloodthirstiness, their unparalleled intense rivalry, and the intense firefights that would break out between them over territory disputes.

Show Pony and Party Poison were sent on a mission by Dr. D to straighten out the territory lines. They were to meet at DJ Hot Chimp’s club, and attempt to negotiate the territory overlap between the rival gangs.

Of course, nothing was ever as easy as that. The Neon Angels arrived late, and then sparked a huge firefight after the leader shot the Ritalin Rats’ leader dead in the middle of the club. The club turned into an all out war zone, a gang war ensuing within the confines of the rave.

Party Poison and Show Pony were busy trying to evacuate the desert dwellers within the club, protect them from the shots being fired, and fight back against the two gangs. It was a lot at once.

“This ain’t a party! Get off the dance floor!” Party Poison would scream. “Oh, you want the get down? Here comes a fucking gang war.”

Not many people listened. It seemed that they cared more about getting their money’s worth of dancing in the club than their personal safety.

In any case, while the two were trying to evacuate a group of clearly drunk adults, a stray blast from a Neon Angel caused a chunk of the roof to fall on top of them. Coupled with a few shots fired at them by a Ritalin Rat, who thought they were members of the Neon Angels given their flashy outfits, it wasn’t exactly a great time for the two.

She collected their masks, sighing at the chaos before Her. The death toll was rising substantially, and not many people were willing to, or could, bargain with Her. The two gangs would eventually run themselves extinct if they kept up engaging in more firefights with this dangerous degree.

Party Poison came without a fight. Idly, She was concerned about the lack of care, but knew She couldn’t do anything about that. Show Pony tried to wriggle out of Her grasp, and She was glad they had at least learned some self preservation despite having met Her before.

“Again?” She forgoed the usual greeting, watching as their souls flickered into existence. Party Poison grinned unabashedly and blew Her a kiss.

“It’s been a while!”

“Not long enough.” She sighed. “With how often you come to visit me, you’re going to lose everything you own. Don’t you want to keep your things?”

They winked. “I’d give anything to your gorgeous face.”

She rolled Her eyes. Their flirting was getting out of hand, and truly, She ought to set them in their place. But She didn’t. Instead, She let Her attention drift to Show Pony. who was watching the exchange in both awe and excitement.

“Hi!” They cheered, waving their fingers in greeting. “You remember me? Died of dehydration a few years back, gave you a dumb keychain in return for my soul?”

“Yes, yes. Of course I remember you, Show Pony.” She remembered everyone She touches, everyone She brings into Her domain, even if they do not stay. “I suppose you two understand the drill by now.”

“You’re really just wanting to get rid of us, huh?” Party asked, putting a hand on their hip. “And here I was, thinking that our relationship had developed past the whole ‘hard to get’ act.”

“Oh?” Show Pony had a smirk on their face the Witch did not appreciate. “You two are… a thing?”

“Fuck no,” the Witch answered. “I’m a deity, I am above your petty human desires for love and partners.”

“It’s complicated,” Party added, waving a hand. “It’s nice to see you sweet cheeks, but unfortunately, there’s a literal battle going on that I think Pony and I need to get back to. Now, I know you’re gonna miss me, so I’ll leave you with this.”

They reached into their pocket and pulled out a shiny gold ring. It was dull with time but also love; it had clearly been worn as much as one would wear shoes. It was a relic from the old world, and it appeared to be a wedding ring, something long before the wars. 

“Tommy Chow Mein gave me this,” Party simply stated, rolling the gold ring in their fingers. “Is this a worthy enough toll?”

“No fucking way,” Show Pony objected, snatching the ring out of Party’s fingers. “Tommy never just gives things away. That’s his shtick! He’s greedy! He won’t even give me a can of power pup when I’m starving to death for free but he’ll give you this?”

Party took the ring back in a fluid grab, though Pony hardly resisted. “It surprised me too. He gave it to me after I stopped his store from being robbed. That man hates being in anyone’s debt, so he gave me that to repay me.”

“There’s got to be more than that,” Pony muttered. “That’s a nice fucking ring.”

“He said he didn’t have a use for it, and like hell if I was gonna complain.” Party shrugged, putting it on their finger before sliding it right off. “Besides, despite how much he says he hates me and my crew, I think he has a bit of a soft spot for me. I am rather… irresistible.”

The Witch did not dare comment. Mainly, because Party Poison was right. Tommy did have a soft spot for them, and would rather be dead, rotting in the sand before Party would learn of that fact.

She gently plucked the ring from Party’s hand. Tommy was an avid believer of the Witch, and as such, would often pray to Her. Most of them were asking for the protection of his store and stock, and some were just to complain about his grievances with particularly annoying customers. But some of his others were about the Fab Four.

Tommy was a hard man, hardened with war and the desert life. He can not afford to be a generous man, not if he wishes to survive. He became coarse, blunt, and maybe a bit too honest for his own good, gaining him a reputation of being rude. But he was an honest man- he was not a liar, nor a cheater, nor heartless. It was hard to come across a person in the desert with morals, let alone some as rigid as his.

He prayed about the Fab Four, often asking for their protection. He recognised that they were just a band of kids, a band of teenagers too young to be leading a rebellion, but too stubborn to stop.

The Witch respected him, because he was right. They were children, children that would get killed in a messy war that truly has no winners. He wanted them safe, and She desperately wished She could answer his prayers.

She tossed the ring in Her hand before catching it, weighing out its worth. It was easily equal to Party’s soul. She could tell it meant much to them, mainly because they’d never seen Tommy be generous in anything.

They also knew, after a bit of snooping, that the ring had been from one of Tommy’s old friends. They knew how much the gift meant, and they had done their damndest to take care of it.

“I hope Tommy won’t mind,” Party absently said, rubbing their neck. “I kinda feel bad about giving it away, but I don’t think I have anything else at the moment.”

“It will pay for your passage,” She began, delicately. “And I do not think Tommy would mind.” He would not. He asked for their protection, and little did he know, he would be responsible for it. “Besides, I know the true owner of this ring, and I’m sure they would be delighted to receive it.”

Party grinned brightly. “If you say so.”

She cleaned their mask, and then gently placed it in their outstretched hands. “Please, do not come back.”

Party’s laugh rang throughout Her domain as they began to fade away, flickering into the mortal plane once more. “Oh darling, how could I do that when I know you’re here? I can’t make promises we both know I’ll break.”

They disappeared completely before the Witch could object. She sighed before placing the ring on one of Her fingers, and glanced at Show Pony. They had an expression of bewilderment and awe at what had occurred before them.

Truly, She ought to have corrected Party Poison for their flippancy of pet names. She was a being of darkness, not their high school crush. She was setting a poor example for how others should treat Her.

A small silence filled the space between them. She patiently waited for them to offer up a toll, or to say what was on their mind. She was a deity, but not entirely all seeing; She could not read minds.

“Party’s in love with you,” they finally stated. She kept Her mouth shut.

She knew the redhead had grown attached to Her, for reasons frankly unknown. But to hear it spoken aloud made it strange. She was not to be loved, She was to be feared.

“You’re in love with them too, huh?” Show Pony was staring at the space Party Poison had taken up before fading out, a small smile gracing their face. She gripped their helmet tighter, and frowned.

Every inch of Her wanted to correct them, to inform them how wrong they were. She did not love them. She could not love them. She refused to love them, and it would be selfish to do so. Desire is something for humans and the other creatures that roamed the Earth. She was above that.

Wasn’t She?

They grinned at Her, warm and soft; knowing. “It’s okay. Can’t say I blame you. They’ve got a nice ass.”

The moment was completely ruined. She couldn’t say that She was entirely surprised at the comment.

“If you utter one more word about this, I will refuse the bargain and send you to the pits of hell without a semblance of regret.”

They laughed. “You’re not saying no-“

“I’m revoking your privilege to live as we speak.”

They giggled like a small child, gleeful and uncaring to Her threats. She really has lost Her touch. It seems no one is afraid of Her anymore. No longer did She make grown men cry in fear of Her wretchedness, no longer did Her shadows frighten small children. Her Angel of Death title meant nothing to these ungrateful desert dwellers.

“Right, right.” They winked at Her. “I won’t tell Party a thing. They’re already in love with you, and I don’t think they need another reason to bolster their death wish.”

“Just give me your fucking toll.”

They laughed again, shaking with giggles as they reached for their wrist. They unclipped a watch, silver in colour, rusted from being near ancient and surviving what had been a near apocalyptic event. The watch was frozen in time, at exactly 4:20. She was again, not surprised.

“This was from Party,” they began, and sent Her a wink. She glared, but they ignored it in favour of continuing. “I saved their life, you know, out in the desert, about two years ago. They were such a tiny thing! Maybe that’s because of the dehydration, and because they were barely fifteen, but anyway! After Party healed up and shit, they went on a raid under Dr. D’s advice, to put themself out there, and guess what they came back with? That watch. They gave it to me to repay me.”

They waved the watch in front of Her, a laugh threatening to escape their lips. “I can only guess how many times Party has died, and how many they will. But I think this is rather fitting, since you’re the one saving their ass instead of me.”

She snatched it out of their hand, desperate to make them leave. Cocky little bastard didn’t even have an excuse to be acting this way. At least Party had the reason of being in love with Her. Show Pony was just being a flat out asshole now.

It was a tawdry old thing, clearly made from mass producing factories before the wars. It had been made from cheap materials, made to last maybe a year. The band was faux brown leather, the metal that lined the face and back was an inexpensive, brittle silver metal that had rusted over. The face was supposed to be a map of the old world, a faded blue and green with squiggly lines over territory that no longer have any meaning, and had a little plane ticking around the clock as the second hand.

“Said it reminded them of me, ‘cause I was always on the move around the zones. Being Dr. D’s messenger sure does cause a lot of travelling.” They shrugged, and watched Her as She moved to place it on Her own wrist. 

“I suppose it will do.” Of course it would. It was a gift from an old, and very good friend. The fact that it was from Party Poison had nothing to do with the reason why She was letting them go.

She tossed the helmet back to Show Pony, not bothering to clean it. She usually extended that common curtesy to all those who manage to cross into Her domain, but Show Pony’s smug smirk was really pissing Her off. She wanted them out before they could say anything else damaging to Her reputation.

“Do not come back anytime soon, or else I will make you spend all of eternity cleaning that mailbox.”

“That actually doesn’t sound that bad?”

“You’re underestimating the amount of times the box has been painted, how much dirt had accumulated on it over time, and how many other mailboxes there are.”

Show Pony paled slightly as they flickered out of Her domain.

If She glanced back at the ring on Her finger, and placed it on what the humans designated the left hand ring finger, and then smiled gently at it, well, no one was here to notice, and no one had a right to judge.

-

Show Pony woke up last, and was met with the grinning face of Party Poison, who was extending a hand to them. They pulled them up, and Show Pony pocketed the feather in their hair without a second thought.

“I guess we should get back to work,” Party said, twirling their gun, a black feather poking out from their fist.

Show Pony grinned. “Oh, we are so getting drinks after this, and you are so gonna tell me more about what the fuck is going on between you and the Phoenix Witch.”

Party took a blind shot, their attention still on Pony as they hit a Neon Angel in the leg. “Well, let’s clean up first and see if Chimp will let us get wasted as a reward for our hero work.”

They jumped right back into action, Party wearing a feral grin, and Show Pony with a thoughtful expression. Party Poison sure knew how to pick ‘em...

-

Not long after that incident, Party Poison was summoned to the radio shack. Show Pony and Party had gotten drunk off their shit, which made Party a little weary as to why they were being called back, and them alone. Show Pony probably ended up blabbing all the fucked up shit Party had told them when they had gotten wasted, which had been a terrible idea, really. Party didn’t even like drinking. They didn’t like losing control, despite their carefree attitude.

They weren’t even sure what they had told Pony, either. That night had been a bit blurry. And Show Pony was a talkative drunk themself, and oh fuck, Party was screwed.

Doctor Death Defying was watching him with an expression one would make when analyzing data. Party Poison grimaced, because they knew this expression well, and knew that this meant Dr. D was about to read them for filth.

After a moment, Dr. D spoke. “You’re in love with Her.”

“What?”

“Jesus, you’re in love with Her.” Dr. D looked as if he was going to have a stroke. He was getting old, maybe he was having one. Party may in fact be the inadvertent death of this man. It’s not a shocking revelation to either of the two. “You’ve fallen in love with the angel of fucking death.”

“What! No! I’m not- I don’t- we’re not-“

“You sure know how to fucking pick ‘em.” The doc sighed. “I can not fucking believe this. Out of all the people on this earth, you pick the angel of death to fall in love with.”

“I’m not in love with Her!”

“I’m not stupid.” He rubbed his temple. “Jesus Christ. I gave you two fucking rules, and you broke both of them. Literally, two things to do, and you couldn't even do them.”

“I’m not-“

“Party Poison. When we first met, what were the two rules I gave you?”

Party sighed. “Doc, listen-“

“What did I tell you?”

“Fuck.” Party pouted and crossed their arms, unable to meet Dr. D’s expectant eyes. “Don’t die, and don’t trust the Phoenix Witch.”

“Two fucking rules, Party. I even simplified it for you, but apparently that’s too much for you to follow!” He shook his head, his eyes full of exasperation. “But you managed to break them all in one go! How many times have you died anyway? At least twice now, since Show Pony told me all about your little expedition into the spirit world at Hot Chimp’s club. Are you at three?”

“Uh...”

“Four?”

“Well...”

“Five?!”

“Actually-“

“ _Six?!_ ”

“Yeah...”

The doc leaned his head against the back of his wheelchair chair, his expression dark. “Jesus fucking Christ. You are all so fucking stupid.”

“Oh, come on!” Party threw up their hands. “Can you blame me? She’s like, the coolest person ever! She always just picks me up, dusts me off, and let’s me go. She’s always there to help me back, never told me no, never raised the bargaining price! She’s not malicious, She doesn’t wish me harm, She doesn’t wish anyone harm! She cares about me like no one else has! She does care about me, She’s shown me a lot of love, and I just… I don’t know. I fell in love.”

They rambled, and they didn’t care, because for one, it’s not like they can just tell someone they fell in love with Death and get away without being called a loon. Which, admittedly, Dr. Death would do anyway, but because he knew it was real and didn’t think they were hallucinating shit again. Secondly, they’ve never even voiced this shit, never admitted it to themself. Not like this.

“She’s not to be trusted,” Dr. D hissed. “You are playing with a deity. You are playing with forces you can not comprehend.”

“I don’t care!” Party wanted to scream their love at the top of their lungs. “I love Her! I love Her! You can’t stop me!”

“I know.” He sounded resigned. For a split second, Party almost felt bad for the man. Despite their many, many differences, Dr. D did care about Party, did care about the Fab Four. “I can’t change this. You’ll just have to realise that one day, you’ll die for real, and you’ll have to learn that this ain’t a game, and when the Phoenix Witch says you’ve played your part in history, you can’t go back.”

“I know.” In truth, Party Poison did know. In their heart, they knew that their time was not limitless. Eventually, the Phoenix Witch would call for them, and they would have to return. The future was uncertain, and only the Witch knew what was to come, and Party did not have a choice. If they died, and She told them to stay, they would have no choice. 

But would they mind staying with Her?

Dr. D sighed. He watched Party for a moment, trying to gauge the sincerity of their words. It must have been enough. “Just promise to be careful. You have the potential to become something wonderful. You’re an example to the zones, a leader that’s been unifying people just by your words. You’re more important than you give yourself credit for. Don’t let Her grab your mask so young.”

Party Poison gave him a crooked grin. “Oh doc, you know I can’t make promises we both know I’ll break.”

They left the radio station, feeling much heavier than they usually did. There was a destiny waiting for them, for their crew, and yet… they couldn’t bring themself to care.

-

The seventh time they met, it had been a massacre.

By that point, the Fab Four had adopted the Girl into their group. The Phoenix Witch was both delighted to see her become a part of the group, and also heart broken. It was the beginning of The End, and She could not help but feel disappointed to have it happen so soon. She had grown, admittedly, attached to all of them.

But the Girl has a destiny. And so did they.

In any case, the Fab Four had become a huge topic within the zones. Their popularity began to inspire more factions within the rebellion against BLi. Not all desert dwellers were interested in the fight, but many began to become more active within the killjoy community.

It was a sign of change, of turmoil.

In any case, the push back of BLi forces were beginning to get more and more noticeable. BLi did not appreciate the growing decrease in passiveness from the desert inhabitants, and began to do the only thing they knew how: commit large scale acts of violence in retaliation.

Which brought Her back to the topic at hand.

A village had been massacred by BLi’s forces. It was supposed to be a safe space for young children and teens, a sort of home for those whose parents weren’t able to come with, be it they were killed coming out or they were still too drugged up by BLi to even consider leaving Battery City. 

BLi was able to find out the location, however, and they leveled the city. The kids were too young to put up a fight, and were slaughtered by the masses. BLi mercilessly killed every child living in the small village. Children were already a scarcity within the desert, and they were making sure they would become even rarer.

BLi’s goal was to snuff the rebellion where they could, and killing children would ensure that the rebellion couldn’t carry on through future generations. It was disgusting and cowardly, but BLi had thrown out morals long, long ago.

The Fab Four came as fast as they could when the alarm came in, but they could not make it in time. The children had all been killed when they finally arrived, the village nothing but smoking cinders.

Minus Jet Star, who stayed in the van with the Girl to keep a watch on her and to make sure she didn’t see the wide scale destruction, the gore of the slain, the Fab Four bolted into the village, desperate. They scavenged the remains, searching for any signs of survivors.

They didn’t find any.

Dracs were still idling around the site, and quickly swooped into action when the Fab Four were noticed. A new firefight started, and this time, it was more than just adrenaline that filled all of their veins.

White hot rage coursed through them. Every child’s corpse they saw reminded them of The Girl, reminded them that kids even younger than her had been killed for a cause they didn’t understand. They had been wiped out because BLi believed them to be nothing but misguided mutts, no worthier of a mercy kill than an animal.

They had always been ruthless in battle, but they were near bloodthirsty by now. The fight was even more brutal than usual, the three doing whatever they could to kill the Dracs that swarmed around them.

Fun Ghoul had gotten separated, and was quickly becoming surrounded by too many Dracs for him to handle. Party Poison noticed, and began to head toward him, when a blast that grazed their hair caught their attention.

Korse.

They twirled around and shot off a rapid fire, their blood boiling at the sight of the Scarecrow. Korse dodged easily, gracefully, and had a twisted grin plastered on his mouth as he moved.

“Party Poison,” he greeted, his voice sounding like a snake’s, hissing.

Party gritted their teeth. “You goddamn bastard! I should have know you were behind this shit, you piece of scum.”

“I’m responsible for this?” Korse laughed. The two stood across from each other, Korse’s gun aimed at Party’s heart, and Party’s gun aimed at his head. “The only person to blame here is yourself.”

Party growled and pulled the trigger. Korse dodged and laughed. “Don’t believe me? How stupid of you to think your actions don’t have consequences. You and your little gang have been inspiring more and more people to breach the city, more and more people to try and fight against BLi. You’ve been corrupting the citizens as you gain more traction, and BLi felt that more extreme measures needed to be used.”

“So you massacred a bunch of little kids?”

“They were tainted with your corrupt idealisations. They were already a lost cause.” Korse grinned. “It sent the message, didn’t it?”

“You piece of shit.” 

“If you’d just stayed in your lane, maybe this wouldn’t have happened. You had such a promising career as a young exterminator. You could have stopped all this if you just did your job, but you decided to develop morals? A murderer like you?” Korse was gaining ground, and Party was frozen in place. The gun Korse held jammed against Party’s ribcage, and the beat of their heart thumped against the cold plastic. “You can’t judge our actions, kid, because you damn well carried them out yourself. Do you know how much blood was already on your hands before you left the city? How many nameless killjoys you’d already killed, adults and children alike?”

Party shook. Their gun clattered dangerously in their hands, but they pressed it against Korse’s forehead. “I know.”

“And yet you lecture us about morals? You can’t change, and it’s a shame that you think you’re capable of it. Of forgiveness. Of pity. Of sympathy.” Korse sighed. “Really, you’re still just like us.”

He squeezed the trigger, and Party Poison collapsed to the ground, blood splattering across the sand.

-

They didn’t even bother trying to fight the grip She held on their soul as She plucked the mask off their face. She watched as they flickered into existence, and the look in their eye was as dead as they were.

It reminded Her of the first time they met, before Party Poison was Party Poison, before the wheels of fate had spun into motion.

“Party Poison,” She greeted gently. 

“I want to stay,” they stated. “I want to stay dead this time.”

“Do you?”

“Yes.” Their lip quivered. “Why should I get to live when none of them did? They were children, for Christ’s sake. They were innocent! They didn’t do shit, but they died, and why should I live, a fucking murderer, in their place?”

“It’s not the same thing.”

“I’ve done shit. God awful shit. And yet I’m still alive when so many more deserving people should have my place instead. I’ve killed people. People that were human, that weren’t the walking corpses Dracs were. I’ve killed innocent killjoys, I’ve killed children myself. When I was an exterminator, I killed so many people. Why the hell should I live when all I’ve done is take?”

“You were fifteen. You were under the influence of-“

“So what?! I should’ve broken out of it sooner! Kobra did! Kobra got off the pills long before I did! He knew shit was getting fishy! And I ignored him and his warnings!”

“You can not compare your predicament to his-“

“I can and I will!” They crossed their arms, stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall from their eyes. They did not want to appear pitying. “I want to stay dead.”

“If you stay dead, then you can not avenge those who have been killed. You can not help those children get the peace they deserve. You can not destroy BLi for what they’ve done. You can not get back at them, you can not avenge all those children. You are giving up.”

“They’re dead. It doesn’t matter. They’re dead, and avenging them won’t do shit.” Anger twisted their features and they suddenly began to get closer to Her, their eyes full of a burning fire. “Why don’t you bring them back?! Huh? Let them come back! You’ve let me! You’ve let others! Bring them back! Bring them back!”

“Party Poison-“

“Bring them back!” They were sobbing, and they beat at Her chest, their fists shaking too hard to truly be felt, their arms weak with the melancholy inside them, despite the anger they carried. She simply stood, watching, uncertain of how to proceed.

She was a creature of Death. She was not human, and She could not pretend to be such. Emotions were never Her forte, especially when it was over the loss of loved ones.

But, She thinks, knowing Party Poison, and watching them grow… they had made Her more human.

She wrapped Her arms around them, no longer feeling their steady battering of Her chest. They sobbed in Her arms, choking on their wails, their desperate cries and pleadings She could not answer.

“I can’t bring them back,” She finally whispered. “Their story is done, I’m afraid. They were not meant to be here for long.”

Party remained silent, simply leaning their full weight against Her. They felt rag doll limp, and if She removed Her arms, they would certainly fall to the ground. She was the only thing holding them up, and very likely, holding them together.

“Your story isn’t done,” She continued, hesitantly. She did not know how they would react, and long ago, She would not have cared. Her gentleness towards Her people had steadily grown over time. Usually, if they were to die before they were supposed to, She would simply rebound their soul without any argument. But Party Poison did not need a shove into Life. “You can live. You can tell their story, you can stop BLi from perpetuating more of these violent crimes. You can teach the future generations what it means to never die, to truly achieve immortality through the lessons you’ve learned. But you can’t do that if you give up.”

There was a silence that stretched on for what felt like an eternity, and She knew what that felt like. They pulled away from Her arms, shaking, dejected. But there was a gleam in their eyes, there was determination in the fists their hands made, a spark in the cock of their hip.

“If you can not do this for yourself, then you must do it for the people you have already influenced, for the people that you will influence. For your friends, your family. For the Girl.”

She thinks Party Poison forgets too easily how influential they’ve been. They always seem to forget how many people they have touched, directly and indirectly. They forget how many people they have saved, inspired, protected.

“I see,” they finally say, but She’s not convinced that they do. “Guess I can’t go on an eternity long date with you, yet.”

Despite Herself and the situation, She allows them a small grin. “Then do you have a toll?”

They nodded. They reached in their hair and unclipped a few barrettes that were haphazardly tucking away some of their red, red strands. Some were of butterflies, some were rusted flowers, and some were plain plastic clips. 

Gently, gently, like they were handing over their newborn child, Party delicately dropped the hair clips into Her awaiting fingers. They let out a soft sigh. “Those were the Girl’s. She gave them to me, not long after she joined us. I showed her how to shoot a gun, and she gave me these in return.”

The Witch weighed the toll, feeling their worth as She rubbed Her fingers over the textured surfaces. It was a bittersweet gift, really. It was the first in a long line of childish givings the Girl would offer to the gang, and those gifts would always be treasured. But Party Poison had taught a child how to shoot a gun, because the world they were living in required it. She could not survive if she did not know how to defend herself.

They would not be around to protect her forever, after all.

She released a breath She didn’t realise She was holding. “These are perfect. You are free to go.”

She rubbed away the sand from Party’s mask, gently brushing aside any grime. She handed it back, and for a moment, She let Her hold linger, just for a bit. This would be the last time She would hold their mask for more than a decade.

Time meant nothing to Her; She was immortal, and Her lifetime spanned the eternity. Ten years meant nothing, but it seemed Party Poison loved to change things.

There was a lull as they both gripped the mask, and Party never looked away from Her face. They stared at each other, just for a few moments, like they had all the time in the world. She wished they did.

She let go, Her arm dropping to Her side. They held the mask with both hands, watching Her still as they flickered.

“Thank you,” they whispered, and She gave them a small smile once more.

“You have a destiny awaiting you, child.”

Before they faded out completely, Party Poison hesitantly grabbed Her hand. They lifted it, and tenderly, they placed a kiss against Her hand. It was small, and quick, fleeting, before they dropped Her hand, and with a wink, faded completely out of Her domain.

She gripped the hair clips tight, and gave a quiet chuckle. A parting gift for their over ten year journey, though they did not know it yet.

-

Gunshots sliced through Korse’s coat. A few blasts managed to nick his skin. They would not cause much long term damage- the man was more Android than true human anyway. Anything damaged would be replaced.

Still, seeing blood drip from the wounds they had made definitely felt good.

Party Poison jumped from their spot on the ground. They wiped the blood off their head, ignoring the pool that had formed on the sand where they had died, like a bloody halo, instead focusing solely on Korse.

“Baby, I’ve done a lot of wrong in my life,” they began. In the corner of their eye, they could see a feather stuck to a bloodied clump of hair. “But this shit is all on you. And you’re gonna fucking pay.”

They shot off a few more rounds. Korse managed to dodge most of them, but one nicked his chin. A feral grin stretched across their mouth, blood painting their lips a bright red. 

“You just don’t know how to stay dead,” Korse growled, shooting back. Party watched their surroundings, noting that the ambush seemed to have died out while they were with the Witch. Their brothers had taken care of most of the Dracs, though a few still scampered about.

“I’ve tried it before, and I gotta say it’s not my thing.” 

The firefight continued. Party Poison didn’t mind, because there was something worth fighting for.

-

The End occurred not long after that. All this time, the Witch had been preparing them for this final moment, watching them grow and become the men they’d have to be. It felt like yesterday they had all met under Her guidance, as She gently pushed them into place. 

The End of this era, the era of the Fabulous Killjoys and the unity they tried to create within the zones, finally arrived. She had written the fate, sealed it with some ink and a crow feather, had been watching in anticipation for it, and yet truthfully, She was not ready. She was supposed to be impartial, apathetic, but they all had worked their way into Her heart.

But it had to be done.

The Girl was captured, the teens chased her down and tried to get her back. One by one, they were picked off, falling to the ground like dominos. 

The Girl’s Future was secure. She was safe, and that was all they ever wanted. Unfortunately, it would cost them everything.

As the firefight died down, and Jet Star had breathed his last breath, She stepped in.

She collected their souls as quick as She could, gently taking each of their masks as She worked. Her heart broke as She skipped over the One, unable to pull their mask, knowing that their journey was not quite complete. They would not get the rest they deserved for over a decade, and She could not help but feel desolated at the idea of having to wait.

But their crew would be able to. She knew that Party Poison would be content to becoming a wandering, restless spirit as long as their family was safe. Under Her protection in Her domain, She would make sure they’d never know strife again.

The three appeared in Her realm at once, flickering for a few seconds before stabilising in near unity. 

Once they did, they began talking over each other like excited school children.

“Aye, what the hell?”

“Oh my god, are we in hell-“

“God damnit, we’re fucking dead!”

“Please be quiet,” She ordered. She rubbed Her head. She’s never had a headache until the Fab Four came into existence, and they always seemed to be dead set on making firsts. “I can explain everything.”

“Holy shit,” Jet Star whispered. “Oh my god, it’s Her.”

“Yes, yes, the Phoenix Witch. That’s me.”

“I fucking told you!” Jet Star grinned as Fun Ghoul elbowed his side, looking annoyed.

“Fuck, you are real.” He shrugged. “I retract everything I’ve ever said about you, especially that time I called you a mass produced fairy tale for children, and all the other weird shit I’ve called you.”

“You’re digging yourself a grave,” Kobra muttered, glaring at Fun Ghoul.

“As I was saying,” She began, rolling Her eyes. “Do you want an explanation or not?”

“Oh shit, ‘course we do.” Jet nodded vigorously, before hesitantly adding, “Please?”

“You are all dead. I’m certain you all know how you died?”

“Fucking BLi bastards took the Girl-“

“Korse and his ugly ass-“

“Got shot to death trying to rescue-“

“I was not asking you to tell me.” They stopped. “I’m here to guide you into the afterlife. I’ve gotten through most of the Dracs you had killed, so you three are the last ones who must be carried through.”

“Three...?” Kobra was looking around, frowning, eyes squinted in confusion. “Wait, where’s Party?”

Her chest ached slightly. Guilt ebbed away at further separating the brothers, but it could not be helped. “Their story isn’t quite complete like yours, I’m afraid.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Fun Ghoul growled. He balled his firsts, and the Witch suppressed a small smile. Always ready to fight, even willing to fight a deity for his family.

Jet Star scuffed his toe on the ground. “Wait, are they alive?”

“It’s a bit hard to explain, but no, they are quite dead. I can not take their mask just yet, however, because of what must come.” She gave them an apologetic look. “You see, their mask plays an important narrative within the passing years. I can not collect it until the events come into fruition. And as you know....”

“Masks are anchors to the soul.” Kobra finished, looking almost angry. “Their soul will stay with their mask. Their mask has to stay with the living. They can’t come here.”

“Exactly. I have to leave their mask back in the world of the living, and so their soul will stay wandering with it.” She gripped their masks in Her hands. “You must understand, I’m not doing this to be malicious. It’s just unfortunately what must occur. It is destiny, and an important part of it.”

“I see,” Jet Star said, nodding. “I assume you don’t do anything without a plan. But Party’ll be able to join us eventually, right?”

Under the hope that the mask doesn’t get destroyed while they’re in limbo. Of course, if that happens, the Girl can always put things in the mailbox, which can help guide their soul back to Her. It will not come to that, but the ink She had used to write down the lines of fate is beginning to fade, and not all of time is set in stone. “Most certainly.”

“Party said they’d barter their way out of dying,” Jet added. He seemed to be lost in thought, likely accounting all the stories Party Poison would share about ‘dying’. “Can we do that?”

“Do you know of the terms you must meet?”

“An item worth your soul must be traded,” Fun Ghoul finished. Kobra nodded absently; Party’s stories had been told so often the whole crew could recite them. She smiled at them both.

“Yes. Do you have items worth your soul?”

She knew the answer. It was The End. But She would let them come to that conclusion themselves.

“No.” Jet didn’t even check his pockets like most souls. He just shook his head. “I don’t.”

“Nor do I. We’ll stick together,” Ghoul added, firmly.

“I don’t either.” Kobra’s response was a soft whisper.

“Then we may carry on.” She offered Her hand, and Jet Star boldly took it, watching Her with eyes full of hope. “It’ll be a bit of a walk, but I’m sure you won’t mind.”

Kobra Kid took Jet’s hand, and Fun Ghoul took Her other, shuddering at the contact. It was silent for a moment as they stared into the vastness of Death, and She patiently waited for them to soak in what this all truly meant.

“Damn,” Ghoul whispered. “We’re really dead, huh?”

“The Girl,” Kobra muttered, and The Phoenix Witch smiled softly.

“Do not worry about her. She has a long and important destiny in front of her.”

“Yeah, but...” Jet Star kicked the ground again. “We left her all alone...”

“Not quite.” She began to walk, and it spurred the others into action, matching Her steady speed. “Party Poison is still down there. They may not entirely be conscious, but they’ll keep an eye on her for certain.”

Ghoul smiled. “Okay. Yeah...”

“Now then, it is time for you all to rest. You all have spent so much time fighting, trying to survive, living on the edge.” She took a deep breath, feeling their souls become lighter in Her grasp. “You no longer have to fight. You have earned this. It is your time to rest.”

They did.

-

The Girl did not.

Years and years passed by, and She made sure to watch over her in any way She could. She had a destiny, a bright and powerful one. The Witch would protect Her as much as She dared, both because of her destiny as a saviour to the zones, and out of guilt for taking away those she loved. The Girl no longer believed in Her, and the Witch did not fault her. She had taken what she loved. How could She be anything but malicious?

Twelve years would pass. It was slow going, delivering souls into the afterlife, waiting for the chance to bring a certain redhead back into Her domain. She waited, waited for the Day the redhead would flickering into Her life, a coy smile, cocked hips, and a flirtatious pet name escaping their lips.

She longed to hold their mask in Her hands once again. She longed to be able to set them free from the prison She put them in. Stuck, in between existence and death. Between reality. 

Eventually, the time came. Val Velocity stole the mask, chaos ascended, and then just as swiftly, order would return.

The Girl served her purpose. But she still had a destiny far beyond that event, no matter how desperate she was to be with her family again. There would always be more work for her to complete.

But now…

She gently picked up the yellow mask, tenderly lifting it up to eye level. The anchor to their soul was in Her hands once again, for the very last time. A decade had passed, and yet it fit in Her hands like it was meant to be there. She brushed off the dirt, stroking the chipping paint.

She watched as Party Poison slowly flickered into existence. They stumbled, and confusion stretched across their face as they looked around. They glanced up at Her, and their bewilderment morphed into delight.

“It’s been a long time, Party Poison.”

A small smile graced their face. They looked worn, weary, and tired. She would be able to remedy that soon enough, though guilt pricked at Her consciousness. She could have ended it sooner, had She gone against fate itself, and snatched up their mask in the beginning.

But something told Her they would understand.

“It has been too long, sugar.” They stood up straighter, and gave Her a small wave. “Still radiant as ever, though.”

“Still charmingly flirtatious,” She acknowledged. She gave them a small smile. “But you are finally here. And now I have a question for you.”

“Oh?”

“Do you wish to make another bargain with me?”

“I can still do that?”

“Of course. You have free will. You have things equal to your soul.”

They smiled. “I do.”

“So do you want to make another trade?”

“The Girl....” They trailed off, thinking. “She’s safe, isn’t she? She has a good future for her, right?”

“She does.” The Phoenix Witch pondered a bit. “It’s a hard life, but nothing quite as jarring as what has already occurred. She’ll lead. She’ll live. And she’ll thrive.”

They smiled, soft, tired. “And my family? Kobra Kid? Jet Star? Fun Ghoul?”

“They are waiting for you in the Beyond.” She waved toward the empty horizon. “Eagerly, I might add. They’ve been here for quite some time, and miss you lots.”

They scuffed the ground with their boot, and gazed up at Her with roseate eyes. “Then I suppose you already know my answer.”

“You’ll stay?”

“Why not? I’ve lived enough times already, and I’ve died enough too. Might as well experience something I haven’t before: the after life.” They paused, then gave a tight smile. “Plus... well, you told me once that I’d only be stalling the end. Eventually, there will be a time when I recognise that it’s time to let go, and let others take my place.” There was a fond gleam in their eye. “After watching the Girl kick ass, I think I understand what you mean. It’s not giving up. It’s just.... knowing that I can’t do anything more. This isn’t my story anymore.”

She smiled. “I told you you’d understand eventually.”

“When you first said that, I hoped it wasn’t gonna be anytime soon. But I didn’t exactly expect to live a long time anyway.”

“It’s always a disappointment to guide children,” She admitted somberly, watching them. “You and your family are still children, really. Seventeen at best.”

“Maybe so...” Party stared off into the horizon, a jaded gleam in their eyes. “But we lived the best we could.”

“You certainly did. You made quite the legacy for yourself, one that the Girl will carry on.”

“Yeah! It’s time for me to pass the torch.” They glanced up at Her, a question on their tongue. “So now what do we do?”

“It’s time for you to rest.”

She offered Her hand, and Party stared at it. For a moment, there was hesitation, before determination waved over them, and they gingerly took Her hand. It felt pleasant, really, to be able to touch them after all this time. All this time of separation, and now they were together.

“Are you afraid?” She asked.

Party tapped their chin, thinking. “To be honest? Not really. I’ve already lived longer than expected. All of my family is waiting for me. I’m not afraid anymore.” They glanced at Her, and flashed a smile. “Besides, I get to see you before I go. But I do have to ask, will I be able to keep seeing you?" 

She paused. “On occasions. I do have the job of collecting souls, after all.”

They nodded. “I see.”

“But if you’d like... you could become my courrier.” It was selfish, truly, to even entertain the idea. They had a family waiting for them in the afterlife. Keeping them by Her side was greedy, and while She should be above it, She could not help it. “The mailbox is almost always full, and it would take a burden off my shoulders if you’d deliver the contents.”

Party Poison grinned. “An eternity by your side is just what I wanted.”

She began to walk, and Party trailed next to Her, following Her guidance, their hands still joined together. They gripped Her as if they were afraid of disappearing. “Are you sure you’d be up for it?”

“Of course!”

“First...” She smiled, giving them a soft glance. “I think it’s time for you to catch a break. You can become a courier at anytime. And I did promise your friends that they’ll see you again once I collect your mask.”

“Of course.” They grinned, staring into the horizon. “Will I ever get my mask back?”

She smiled. “You can have more than your mask back. Everything you’ve bargained with me, you may have those items returned to you. After all, those deals no longer hold any meaning, since you’re here to stay.”

She began to reach for their bangles on Her wrist when they held up a hand. They dug into their pocket and pulled out eight black feathers, each identical to the next. “No need. I gave them to you because I knew you’d take care of them. They mean the world to me, but I think you’ll be able to take care of them much better than I. You gave me these in exchange for them, so it’s still a trade. Plus, they look better on you anyway.”

She let Her sleeve fall back. “If you are certain.”

“Definitely. But…” They trailed off, their eyes trained on the white horizon. “You said you'd give everything I traded you back to me?”

“Yes.”

“I traded with you seven times,” they began carefully.

“Yes.”

“Did I? Because I’m remembering an eighth.”

Ah. “Do you?”

"The first time we met," Party Poison whispered, watching Her with an intensity. "It wasn't when I died in the desert, just after I breached Bat City, was it?"

"You tell me." 

"It was when I was still in Battery City." They appeared thoughtful. "When I tried to down all those pills."

She remembered.

They had appeared in Her domain years too soon. She had plucked their soul straight from their body, which lay still on the bathroom floor. It was just after they had become an exterminator, right after they had been through the brainwashing program, but a while before they would breach the city. The chemicals had reacted to their brain in such a strong way that Party became aware of what was happening near instantly.

They had stopped taking the pills, and let them collect under their mattress until they went on their first mission. They had killed three people; one, a child near their age.

“Hello, little one,” She greeted. Her voice was soft. Talking to children was always hard, because there would only be one reason as to why they were in Her domain: the people in their life had failed them.

They weren’t really a child, though. They were in their very early teens, and they reminded Her so much of a child, so small, so tired, so full of shattered innocence. It pulled at something within Her, caused Her heart to ache as She took them in.

They looked up, their eyes dull, their body shivering. They looked glassy, frail, like one touch and they would break into pieces.

“Hello,” they whispered back.

“Can you tell me your name?”

They whispered it, hushed, nearly garbled. A thick Battery City accent clung to every syllable, and She nodded, ignoring the sandpaper roughness of their voice from swallowing so many pills.

“My name is the Phoenix Witch,” She offered. They wouldn’t recognise what that meant, not for years and years to come. “I’m here to help you.”

“Help me?” They repeated. 

“Yes. I’m afraid that you’ve made a grave mistake.” She gently set Her hand on their shoulder and they froze under Her touch. She did not pull away, and eventually, they relaxed. “You see, my child, it is not the time for me to lead you into the afterlife.”

They stared into Her eyes, frowning. “Is that what you’re here to do? You bring in souls to the afterlife?”

“Yes. I guide them towards eternal rest, and I am afraid I can not do that for you.”

“Of course not,” they spat, bitter. “I’m a murderer.”

“No.” Her voice was firm. “It is not because of that. There are always worse things than murder. I’m afraid you’ll figure that out later in life.”

They frowned. “No?”

“No, it is because it is not your time.” She bent down to their height, not wanting to impose over them, wanting to be seen as equals. They watched Her with big eyes, uncertain about Her, not trusting but not shying away. “You have a very full life ahead of you. I can not tell you much, but you are going to become someone important. You are going to become a figure of power, of inspiration, of hope. You are going to become a legend.”

Their eyes were sparkling with hope. “Really?”

“Yes, my child.” She patted their head, gently brushing their hair with Her fingers. It was much too short, as was BLi regulations, and it was disappointing to Her that they did not have the hair they would become so finicky over. “You will be something wonderful. All you have to do is wait.”

They remained silent for a moment. “If I can't die now, then when will I?”

“I can’t tell you that, but I can say, you’ll die changing the world.”

That seemed to satisfy them. “How do I get back?”

“You must trade something equal to your soul.”

They frowned. They glanced at themselves, once, twice, and sifted through their pockets. They kicked the ground. “I don’t have anything.”

“Think harder.”

They kicked the ground again. “I don’t have anything on me. All my stuff’s at home, and none of it is worth my soul. I just… don’t have anything worth bargaining for.”

“It doesn’t have to be a thing, per ce. Just keep trying.”

A pause. She could see the wheels turning in their head. “Then… then… can I trade memories?”

She tilted Her head. “Of what?”

“Of this conversation. This entire experience… it means a lot to me. To know that I have a future, that I’ll become something better than I already am.” They hesitated. “It’s all I have.”

She gave a sad smile, and nodded Her head. “Of course. This is equal in weight. It passes the toll.”

They began to flicker, flicker, flicker, before saying, “Thank you.”

She let them go, and delicately placed a feather on their body. They would wake up not long after, confused, and unable to remember what had happened.

That was the first time they met.

Party Poison dipped their head, looking almost shy. “You care a lot for me, huh?”

“Yes.” She did not like to lie. “I did, and I still do.”

Party gazed back towards the horizon. “I knew you were always looking out for me. I’m glad you picked me back up. I’m glad I could become the legend you told me I would be.” There was a sparkle in their eyes, and it almost looked as if they were about to cry. “I hope I lived up to what you were selling me.”

“You certainly did. You became something beautiful, more beautiful then I could have ever predicted.” She felt their grip on Her hand tighten. “You died changing the world, just like I said you would.”

There were tears streaming down their face now. There were no wails or sobs like the last time She had seen them cry. It was a peaceful weep, with silent tears, and mirthful eyes.

“Yeah,” they whispered. “I guess it’s really time to go, huh?”

“Party Poison, you have spent seventeen years of your life fighting. You were a leader, a voice, an inspiration. Now, you no longer have to fight. You may rest now.”

Colours flickered in the distance. Bleach blond hair and a red jacket. Jet black hair and a hideous vest. Puffed brown hair and a welcoming embrace. Party Poison’s soul began to fade, excitement glimmering in their eyes.

The crow feathers they had been holding on to this entire time began to drift out of their hands. Eight feathers tumbled out of their grasp, each as black and shiny as the other. 

“Rest.”

They did.

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t even fucking know anymore. ain’t we all a bit gay for the angel of death.
> 
> technically, you don’t have to interpret any of this as the Phoenix Witch loving Party back, but yeah. she does. 
> 
> the Phoenix Witch absolutely fascinates me as a concept. I love the lore in this series, and shes just so INTERESTING. idk.
> 
> also! I was gonna add in the time Fun Ghoul and Kobra Kid died, but it didn’t quite fit in with this. Jet Star was the only member who hadn’t met the Witch. Fun Ghoul just denies having met Her; he thinks he hallucinated it.
> 
> FYI, I’ve never read the comics, but I’ve been meaning to. I’ve just seen a lot of spoilers, so I wasn’t able to go in Depth with anything as much as i’d like to.
> 
> this was fun and I’m soft.


End file.
